So, I’m working away here, catching up on non-blog projects as bits and pieces of the Helen Guergis scandal de jour trickle out of the radio.
I think it was the word “miscarriage” that caught my attention.
I once thought I knew how to recognize a political scandal – an American president lying under oath; operatives diverting public funds into party coffers; a cyclist killed in a pique of road rage.
As it turns out, a scandal can be brought forth into existence through the singular act of a political reporter speculating before a camera while using the word “unclear”.
This presents a dilemma for me, as a blogger.
I have emails in my inbox, opened but unmentioned. Lots of them. Rumours, allegations, “word on the street” stuff.
A recent word on the streeter pertains to a Liberal member of parliament’s rumoured relationship with a well-known CTV personality.
That’s pretty juicy stuff, I suppose – we’d all recognize the names. But, it’s all I have – a couple of emails. It might not be true. If it’s proven to be true, it’s still sort of personal.
And that’s the dilemma. I don’t know what to do with that. So, when I don’t know what to do with a story that involves unsubstanciated claims about the personal affairs of others, I turn to our betters in mainstream journalism and ask myself, “What would Bob Fife do?”
” Yes, Lloyd, while there’s no indication that the parties in question have done anything illegal, it could raise conflict of interest questions in the minds of some, and prove embarrassing to the network.”
“Thanks Bob – we’ll be watching for that one.”
Maybe I could simply find a few quotes by respected CTV speculationists and replace the names they use with the names given to me and attach the word “unclear”.
With a question mark for good measure?
I thought as long as you use a question mark, you are safe. Isn’t that so?
roflmao
No, don’t do it Kate! You’re not a sycophantic tabloid jokester, and don’t work for CBC or CTV. Your journalism is of the highest caliber. Keep up the honourability, and don’t sink to a fool’s level.
It’s true, I have been following this story, and if I didn’t know better, due to the media, I would say Helen is guilty of drug trafficking and forcing young women from Haiti into prostitution.
The media is totally useless at this point.
Time for a new word.
We have “Fisked”derived from the name Robert Fisk, senior member of the “Just make sh*t up” school of journalism.
Is it time for “Fifed”?
“Well that story has been Fifed”
“This storyvis 100% Fifed” so be careful
A very Canadian version of Fisked, but with the added factor of gossip mongering, speculation inventing and journalistic sabotage added for good measure.
I heard Guergis sold weapons grade plutonium to Iran and has a kitten stomping fetish? …but it’s unclear.
.
.
Did I do it right?
It only works if you’re an employee of a Liberal Party propaganda organ, such as CTV, CBC, or Glowball. Or those friggin CHUM Media mutants in Hogtown. Or the Blob and Snail, The Red Star, etc.
‘Cause if just anybody could do it, it wouldn’t be “journalism”, right?
*
sorry, kate… that whole sleazy, torrid… lloyd robertson – ralph goodale rumour… is so 2009.
*
Kate, when you face an ethical issue just ask yourself “what would cbc/ctv/cbs/abc/nbc, etc do”
Then do the opposite and your ethical concience will be clean. The truth is the truth. There is no grey area…just black and white. Keep up the good work and hope to hear you on Gormley sometime soon.
If it’s CTV that rules out Krista Erickson or did she jump ship?
See I used a question mark.
I haven’t watched CTV in so long I know they had mike duffy right?
Ask the people sending emails to send pics as proof.
You should read some of the crap over at the CBC website on the Guergis “story”. Sickening. Will be interesting to see where the links to the “story” lead….and what potential defamation suits will be launched.
While there’s no indication that the Liberal Party and Liberal media operatives are in any involved in this smear, it could raise that possibility.
Am I the only one in the country who doesn’t know anything about this ‘scandal’ and doesn’t care?
Instead of being silly, how about sticking with the facts?
PMSH said ‘serious allegations’ were made against Guergis and referred the matter to the ethics commission and the RCMP.
The ethics commissioner said the allegations were not within the purview of the office.
RCMP investigates criminal acts or potential of criminal acts.
PMSH said in Question Period Tuesday that the issue was not a direct issue pertaining to any Member of Parliament.
CTV reports the private investigator found information about possible drug issues and the potential of blackmail.
What part of this do you people not understand?
What part of this do you people not understand?
The part that gives the media a free pass to be judge, jury and executioner with only rumor and gossip.
I’m with Kathy.
But when in doubt, fall back on the weasely “critics say.” I love that one.
Once the RCMP discovers there’s no evidence of malfeasance, and she’s given a clean slate then Helen can sue their ass.
They tried to destroy her career with no proof, just a bunch of partisan winged monkeys doing the bidding of the corrupt Liberal party.
Make stuff up, is the pitiful level our news orgs are at in this country.
I’m hopeful there’s another shoe to drop on this thing.
Yuppers. What’s a “Guergis”?
Peter Manbridge packaged the 15-minute story last night as if it was a story about a serial killer or a Watergate burglar. I really thought the top story to cover in depth last night would be the nuclear summit, silly me.
The problem with Canadian political scandals is simply this, they involve Canadian politicians.
Yawn.
If they want a real scandal, how about the CHRC?
Who’s not understanding here, set you free? You’re talking about an entirely different issue than the one Kate posted about.
Bob Fife said that Guergis obtained a mortage for a house, and that it “seemed” there was no downpayment, and that it was “unclear” how the financing was done. Then he said he would (i.e. future tense, as opposed to, I don’t know, doing so before going on air) phone the ethics commissioner – yes, he, Bob Fife, would personally consult the ethics commissioner – to ask if “the mortgage is above board…”
The nature, amount, and down payment of Bob Fife’s mortgage is unclear, simply because we don’t know about it. That doesn’t make the details of his mortage a potential scandal worthy of being announced to the world. It’s also unclear whether Bob Fife has ever met with biker gangs, or goes to gay bars, or if he holidays in Sri Lanka, but that doesn’t make any of these things an “issue.”
As John Gormley put it, “on nothing more than a story in the paper and armed with no evidence, Fife laid out ‘the issue,’ based on his personal suspicions….a real journalist hears a story and develops a possible theory — and an alternative explanation — then creates a set of questions and researches until he or she finds answers. If the answers don’t support the ‘up to no good’ theory, the story never happens. If there is evidence, then you’ve got a great story. But in the absence of research or any alternative explanation, no one says out loud on national television what they might be thinking back in the newsroom.” (emph. mine)
You gotta click the links, set you free.
Helen Guergis had a ‘miscarriage’?
Herself or of justice?
In either case they are apparently messy…
I gather ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is something that tab-‘Lloyds’ like CTV routinely ignore.
Or maybe something nasty happened during Rahim Jaffer’s strip search…
It’s just naked journalism…er judicial voyeurism; welcome to the Helen Guergis’ naked trial.
No evidence, no affadavits, no reports, no judge, no jury. But just in case “Hang her high!”
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
“Well that story has been Fifed”
I like it. As in ‘the media fifed up!”
What a bunch of ultra-maroons.
Yo Kate..if you are not too busy why don’t you raise some capital and start your own television network? You would soon have a monster following which would mean monster advertising revenues. You could have your presenters disseminate well researched news and items of national interest instead of Liberal and NDP party propaganda. You could also do exposes on the shoddy pseudo-journalism manufactured by the suppository inhalers who pass for reporters at the CBC, CTV and Global. Or, you could just remain Queen of the Bloggers.
It’s nice to witness the Conservative Reform Alliance Party (CRAP) in such disarray. It is rotten to the core and the cracks in Harpo’s facade are starting to show. All I can say to the MSM is keep at the bastards.
Gather more facts, then publish. Maybe someone at NP or Macleans is in for outing a Lieberal.
Just think of all those liberal ad-scam crooks living off their ill gotten gains. Chretien the Wise-guys, wise-guy. Just lives off his pillage as PM.
The Helen Guergis “story” basically is a Women who had a bitchy day. Probably by her husbands shenanigans.
Tempest in a thimble.
JMO
I would say the media has Fifed this story to death..
Did you hear that Fife couldn’t qualify for a 0 down mortgage?
Heh. Fife is just a “knuckle-dragger” anyway. Who cares?
Not much story on the lieberals financing judge appointments in Quebec?
Fife and a well known liberal member of parliament? Male ? Female? enough questions critics say?
I’ve got the game down.
A “Fifed” story. Hmmm, it has a nice ring to it and so true.
All this to take the heat off the cash in a brown bag gang.
Touché, Kate. Yes, indeed, WWBFD?
I’ve been gobsmacked — except, of course, that it’s Bobby Fife and co. at CTV — that a full-blown scandal has been manufactured out of whiffs of speculation, mere allegations, made by anonymous tipsters. ‘No substantiation whatsoever but, hey, Bobby, Janie, Craig, and Lloyd are willing to run with the ball to score a touchdown. ‘Problem is: Where are the goal posts? No one knows.
You and our Prime Minister are to be congratulated, Kate, for your circumspection, a word which doesn’t exist in the CTV lexicon.
Loose lips sink ships — and in this case, I’m hoping the ship will be the Good Ship Bobby-flop.
Glug, glug, glug.
T is so delusional I wonder at his age. Is this another teenager living in his parent’s basement?
Anyway, down to the nitty-gritty of the dirty shenanigans between a CTV staffer and a Liberal bencher. Give us a hint. Female staffer and male bencher? Or, vice versa?
Then all I have to do is watch CTV and see which one has the twitchy mouth, now that they know it’s been partially outed on SDA. And, believe me, with huge SDA’s fan base, by tomorrow morning they’ll know the sh%t will soon hit the fan.
Naturally that’s SDA’s HUGE FAN BASE.
Is it true tha a certain un-named sort of blond haired male ? ctv reporter left his dental imprints in hundreds of pillows in cheap motels all across southern Ontario while interviewing trans-sexual crack dealers about the price of double -D breast implants ?
Just send it to Bourque….he’ll patch it up as Heard at Hy’s.
Lots of stuff comes out that way.
“Unnamed sources claim”….
“Some are speculating that”….
“Some insiders are saying”….
Years and years of nebulous sources ruining people to sell pulp, hurry up asteroid!
“operatives diverting public funds into party coffers;”.
Like this?
“Bloc wants end to federal spending in Quebec”
Soory, wrong:
$This is the true: It’s called party financing:
“Quebec Liberals collected irregular cash donations and gave fundraisers sway in the appointment of provincial judges.”
$This makes Liberal Ad$Cam a dwarf.
…-
“$No apology in sight as [Liberal] Charest seeks to call inquiry
Quebec Premier Jean Charest is awaiting an apology from a former cabinet minister who has accused his government of corruption, while Liberal representatives prepare to rubber stamp the terms of a newly announced inquiry into provincial judicial appointments.
Charest has been on the defensive after former justice minister Marc Bellemare publicly alleged that the Quebec Liberals collected irregular cash donations and gave fundraisers sway in the appointment of provincial judges.
Bellemare, who served as Quebec’s justice minister from April 2003 to April 2004, also claims the premier knew exactly what was going on during that time period.”
“In an interview Tuesday, Bellemare repeated allegations that he was obliged to appoint two judges whom Liberal fundraisers lobbied for.
“I had to,” Bellemare said, of giving in. “I complained to the premier, but he explained to me that this was how it worked.”
In total, Bellemare said he was asked to appoint judges that were favoured by Liberal fundraisers on three occasions. And he said he confronted Charest about the matter twice.
He also wants the inquiry to look at party financing in Quebec.”
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100414/charest_inquiry_100414/20100414?hub=Canada
It is now open season on political spouses,same,opposite or the family pet as far as I see..Ignatieffs personal involement,lead off QP innuendo and unfounded smears under parlimentary immunity paroted by baggaged laden cabinet critics,repeated by runt stunted reporters like fife & giggles whom I suspect has to be screwing a boss have opened a whole new level of gutter politics.
Gellen @ 7:06: “T is so delusional I wonder at his age. Is this another teenager living in his parent’s basement?”
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More likely a 46 year old living in his parent’s basement.
Let me try and help you out with the names, Kate.
Here’s the skinny, Kate for your readers.
I have emailed a number of journalists about a current prominent female Liberal member of parliament rumoured to be in a relationship with a prominent CTV talking head.
To any reasonable person that puts CTV and all of Globemedia in an untenable position as regards to their (Globemedia’s opinions) or objectivity to any Canadian political issue.
I has nothing to do with Helena Guergis.
It has to do whether the liaison between CTV talking head and the female Liberal MP is true or not.
I have asked Kathleen Harris Ottawa Sun, Kathy Shaidle Five Feet of Fury, blog, , Lorne Gunter NatPost, Lorrie Goldstein Toronto Sun,, David Warren, Ottawa Citizen, Hill Times , Judi MacLean ,Canada Free Press blog,, Rob Breakenridge, Corus radio, Jack Davies at JacksNewswatch and Connie Woodcock, mostly MSM people, to verify if the liaison story is true.
If it is then the Taliban torture and Helena Guergis stuff eminating from CTV will pale in comparison to their own internal one.
Hold your fire on this until we hear from some MSM, or is corporate MSM covering CTV’s staffs’ ass, like they did the corrupt Chretien Liberal regime adscam story for years.
MSM wilful blindness.
Who said we didn’t have comedy news? They just don’t recognize it when they do it. Part of the entertainment is the emoting.
What would Robert Fife do?
Hmm.. suck on a sour pickle while suffering through another bout of abdominal cramps caused by the massive amount of fecal matter within him trying to force its way through his preternaturally tight sphincter?
But Journos do protect their own. I remember being told by a coworker that his sister, a night cleaner at CTV caught a female anchor on her knees in front of a famous TO sports star. I won’t mention what era or sport or anything. In any case the word did get around somewhat, I also heard it from others not related to where I worked. Never did make the front pages, or tv news though. That anchor did disappear immediatley from the air though.
All true – I hope this bombshell explodes soon, I need to define the truth from the chaff.
Should one journalist fall, another jumps up to take their place. No fear, the never ending saga of the MSM reigns supreme and the truth matters not.
We need to find the motherlode and I’m waiting for it patiently.
Does “T” stand for tit, twerp or twat?
Just wondering
Maybe journalists should be elected?
I smell a set up.
“a night cleaner at CTV caught a female anchor on her knees in front of a famous TO sports star”
Hey, Greg, I remember that. I remember it featured an Argo player, and I can’t recall the name of the CTV type, but I can picture her. (Particularly after hearing that story…) Haven’t seen her on air in years, which is odd because they usually just keep turning up around here.
Joe M: not to be accused of a personal conversation, may I say first that the photo of your car is scary. Glad no one was hurt, but I can bet shaken up. (An aside, place our photos beside each other and anyone would think we’d been separated at birth ;=))
Back to the gossip. Wiped the tea off my laptop and then checked all fLIBBERtygibbet females currently sitting in the House. Imagine walking into it tomorrow trying to look cool. Hope Iggy can control his eyebrows when he brings up the scandal again.